Easy Outdoor Art

Sometimes I realize I need to write a post about something based on your responses elsewhere. Take, for example, this week. The weather has finally, blessedly, changed for the better here in New Hampshire. The dreary gray skies have cleared, the sun is out, and we have shed our jackets.

Every New Englander can relate to this photo right here. Yay for the sunshine!

Anyway, my kids have been on a bit of an art kick and it is perfect timing. I love when we can take the mess outdoors. Everyone is happier and there is less clean-up involved. Win-win, folks!

So we’ve been taking our art outdoors and I’ve shared some photos over on Instagram and you guys have had lots of questions! Today, I’m sharing how you can enjoy easy outdoor art, too!

A photo posted by MyLittlePoppies (@my_little_poppies) on May 17, 2016 at 1:33pm PDT

Easy Outdoor Art

With three little artists at home, I like to make art easy. If it is easy, we’ll do more of it! I’ve mentioned our love of Doodle Diaries before, and we almost always pack our doodle diaries in our backpacks when we go hiking. Nature inspires so much art and it’s amazing what kids can create with a sketch pad and some colored pencils when they are outdoors.

This easel had been in my Amazon cart forever. I kept going back and forth about whether we would actually use it. And, of course, I worried that one kid would break his or hers and then there would be drama and fighting over the remaining ones and all that good stuff that comes with kids and siblings and breaking things.

But I decided to go for it. It gets great reviews, it will fit in the kids’ backpacks, it is lightweight, and it is only fourteen dollars. I figured it was a gamble worth taking.

I haven’t regretted our purchase and, truthfully, I wish I had ordered one for myself. I might cave soon because I’m a wee bit jealous of all the fun they are having!

When the easels arrived, I had three very happy children. The easels are unfinished wood and so I gave the kiddos my sharpies (this alone is a special occasion) and let them go crazy. They personalized their easels. This way, if one breaks we know who it belongs to.

The cool thing about these easels is that they have a little drawer. It doesn’t hold a lot, but it can hold some colored pencils, chalk pastels, or paints. The easel comes with a palette. It is pretty basic, just a flat wooden one, but it does the trick. (My kids freak out if paint touches so if we are painting in our backyard I use these instead.)

A photo posted by MyLittlePoppies (@my_little_poppies) on May 20, 2016 at 1:33pm PDT

Recently we’ve combined our doodle diariesand easels. The other day, we even did an online art lesson on our patio! Even though I was easel-less, I had a blast doodling alongside my children. I’m always amazed by the calm that comes over us when we create together.

Now, it’s your turn. Tell me: Do you have little artists at home? Do you love to take the creativity outdoors? What are your favorite resources? Share here!

Cait is a school psychologist, mom to three amazing children, and an unexpected homeschooler. She loves nature, good books, board games, strong coffee, and dancing in her kitchen. You can read about all of these things and more at My Little Poppies.

Cait is a contributing writer for Simple Homeschool and GeekMom. Her work has also appeared on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Scary Mommy. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagramand G+.